Mark – Be Still…

Mark 12:30-31 – Two Commandments

“And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.The second is equally important: Love your neighbor as yourself. No other commandment is greater than these.” (Mark 12:30-31)

This is one of those verses that you see repeated in several places in Scripture—it’s that important. But when Jesus says it, shouldn’t we pay attention? When you think of these two commandments, you can’t help but realize that this world would sure look a lot different if everyone listened and followed.

Context (Mark 12:28-34): Jesus had just encountered questioning by the Sadducees about the resurrection. Then, a religious leader stepped out and asked Jesus directly about which commandment was the most important. Was it like a test? Our memory verse is Jesus’ response. Continue reading “Mark 12:30-31 – Two Commandments”

Mark 16:15 – Preach It!

“And then he told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone.” (Mark 16:15)

Now we have our marching orders straight from Jesus. How do you respond? We could easily sit back and say that Jesus meant this for someone else. One excuse after another could come spewing from our mouths. I think having this verse close in mind helps us know what Jesus wants from us.

Context (Mark 16:9-20): Jesus’ command comes in the concluding section of Mark’s gospel, not found in all manuscripts. But this passage takes us from Jesus’ resurrection, final teachings, all the way to his ascension into heaven. These words are consistent with Jesus’ message in other gospel accounts about his final days. Being an avid fan of The Chosen television series, I can actually picture these events playing out by those representing our Bible characters. Of course, the series’ season I’m currently watching covers Holy Week, so there is plenty more to happen before these verses are portrayed. Continue reading “Mark 16:15 – Preach It!”

Mark 10:45 – Let’s Serve!

“For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45)

If this verse doesn’t empower you to serve others, I don’t know what will. The Son of Man here is Jesus, our King and friend. He set the perfect example for us in how he lived his life. He didn’t hide away in some palace, but he lived among the people, learning about their needs and meeting some in their darkest moments. And then he ransomed himself for us. That’s what devoted servanthood looks like to me.

Context (Mark 10:35-45) This verse concludes Jesus’ teaching about serving others, initially directed toward James and John. You may recall those brothers were fighting over who was the greatest, and they were asking Jesus for a special favor in the kingdom. Jesus turned his response to their request into a teachable moment for all his disciples. Jesus’ message reminded them that to be a great leader, you must first be a slave. Continue reading “Mark 10:45 – Let’s Serve!”

Mark 16:1-8 – Jesus is Alive!

Read Mark 16:1-8

What would have been your reaction when finding the empty tomb? Shock. Fear. It’s hard to put ourselves there truly because we know how the story plays out. We know the empty tomb is exactly what we should have expected. Jesus told us after all. But where was Jesus now?

I’m not going to dive into the “why we have different endings” discussion. Neither of the added endings say anything contrary or surprising in light of what we know about Jesus’ life on earth, both before and after his death. Hallelujah, Jesus is alive!

Mark 15 – King of The Jews

Read Mark 15

It didn’t seem right to shorten today’s reading. It’s Holy Week and Good Friday. It’s good for us to remember Jesus’ final hours. We can almost feel the agony if we take time to really reflect. What was Jesus, the King of Jews, feeling as he endured the mocking, the abuse, the pain coursing through every inch of his body?

These verses take us from Jesus’ second trial to his death on the cross, followed by his burial. It was only a span of hours. The leading priests, Pilate, the Roman officer, and Joseph of Arimathea all played their roles perfectly to complete God’s plan. Even the crowds of people were engaged in making sure a known criminal walked free rather than Jesus. Where had Jesus’ popularity gone?